The network is urging viewers to ask Congress to intervene in a fee dispute with DirecTV in what it calls a “public safety issue.” Updated 9:45 p.m. ET Monday.
The Weather Channel launched a website urging viewers to help keep its programming on the air.
The Weather Channel says it may be dropped from DirecTV's lineup as soon as tonight when a carriage agreement between the two expires, removing the channel from some 20 million households.
The network launched a campaign Saturday featuring a website and social media push encouraging viewers to contact DirecTV and members of Congress to keep the channel on the satellite provider.
"Starting today, The Weather Channel will begin asking DIRECTV viewers and all Weather Channel supporters to call their Representative and Senators in Washington and ask them to help keep this critical public safety resource in the DIRECTV lineup," it said in a statement.
The channel, which employs 220 meteorologists, said it is negotiating with the provider to renew the carriage agreement, but to date one has not been reached. If a deal on how much DirecTV pays The Weather Channel is not struck by 12:01 a.m. ET Tuesday, it will be dropped.
The Weather Channel said it is seeking a price increase equating to about 1 cent per subscriber per month. DirecTV, however, is looking to reduce the fees it pays to carry the channel by more than 20 percent, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In a veiled threat last month, DirecTV began distributing Weather Nation, a small, lesser-known network directly next to The Weather Channel on its lineup, reportedly drawing the ire of channel executives.
"We remain in discussions with The Weather Channel on how to provide its service to our customers at the best value since people now use so many other ways to retrieve weather-related information," DirecTV said Saturday. "We launched Weather Nation to provide 24/7 hard news weather coverage in response to numerous customer complaints that more the (sic) 40% of The Weather Channel's programming is dedicated to reality television shows."
The NBC Universal-owned network recently launched a new set and on-air look with a renewed emphasis on covering the weather after previously abandoning some live programming for longer-form shows, alienating fans.
"For DIRECTV to take us off their lineup would be deeply irresponsible," Weather Channel CEO David Kenny said. "Forget the fact that our programming costs a tiny fraction of the billions of dollars DIRECTV spends on programming. What matters is the millions of viewers who continue to count on The Weather Channel before, during and after an emergency."
The Weather Channel's ratings fluctuate as storms impact the country and viewers tune in for coverage of news-making events. Last year the network averaged 210,000 viewers and 284,000 during the morning hours, its highest-rated block, Nielsen said.
"We are simply looking for a fair deal that allows our company to continue to invest in the science and technology that enables us to deliver the world's best weather," Kenny said.
No comments:
Post a Comment